1st Syawal 1429H

This year my family and I celebrated the 1st of Syawal (Eid ul-Fitr) in my wife's hometown of Tanah Merah in Kelantan.As with tradition, we woke up in the morning, put on our new clothes and head to the mosque to perform the Eid ul-Fitr prayers. But first I had a delicious nasi minyak cooked by MIL for breakfast.The mosque that we went to is named Ismail Petra mosque after one of our Sultan's name. This mosque is slightly smaller than the one in Pasir Mas so by 8:30 AM, the place is already packed with visitors. Nevertheless I managed to get a spot on the walkway outside the mosque. Sad as it sounds but that's the way it is especially when you come late. Next time I'll just have to come much earlier, that's all.After that we had to the graveyard in Kampung Sat where Linda's great grandparent and other relatives were laid to rest. Actually I've never been to this cemetery before and this is our very first visit there ever since we got married. There we recited the Yaasin (a chapter from the Koran) as a gift for the departed.Next it was time to visit Linda's relatives. We visited 5 houses altogether today from morning till afternoon. Fortunately they were situated close to each other so we just have to walk from one to the next. 5 houses, 5 different food served, a dozen families but also just as many duit raya for Adam and Mia he he :)My four year old son Adam is yet to comprehend the concept and value of duit raya so after he gets more than a handful of them this year he said 'Thanks, but I've already got enough already".Later in the afternoon we went to Kota Bharu to meet up with my dad who happens to reside there with his family. First I stopped by Pasir Mas to pick up Faiz and Izni and then we head to Tesco in Kota Bharu for the meeting. Why Tesco you say? After years of hostility between my stepmother and my family, there's no way we can meet at my dad's place so Tesco situated just next door is the most suitable and neutral place. My elder sister Lina didn't come along because she celebrated Raya in Johore this year.

We catch up on everybody's latest development, talk about the future, you know, stuff like that. My dad looked a bit thinner this time, thanks to Herbalife according to him. Last year he came down to KL for his business trip and seminar quite a lot but not this year though. I thought he was still upset that I made him miss his important dinner last year but it turned out that he's been kept busy in the east coast all this year (ye ke?).I've been quite busy myself this Raya, going to people's house, taking pictures of stuff, everything except myself. So it was not until later in the evening that I managed to capture this family portrait, at Tesco off all places. Our baju Raya theme for this year is all white. For once I bought a complete baju Raya dress with trousers and kain samping but I didn't wear them in the end because I looked fat in them. That's why I'm starting a new diet course from now on so that by Raya next year I will look good in my baju Raya ha ha. That's a good one. Selamat Hari Raya to everyone and Maaf Zahir and Batin of course.